Draft Pick Discussion, Rounds 6-20 -- Rodon, Amaral do not sign

[battlekow]

Baseball America's Jim Callis says the Brewers' chances of signing either Carlos Rodon and Chris McFarland are "iffy". However, Fox Sports Houston's MK Bower still classifies McFarland as a "flight risk" (from the perspective of Rice University, that is).

[battlekow]

Joseph Duarte, the Houston Chronicle's Rice beat writer, says McFarland won't make a decision until Monday. Despite the fact that McFarland's Twitter handle is "RiceOwl00", he's definitely still in play for the Brewers.

[battlekow]

Carlos Rodon Weighing His Options

GoPack.com

RALEIGH, N.C. — Monday will be Decision Day in college baseball. Aug. 15 is the deadline for Major League Baseball teams to sign players taken in the previous June’s MLB Draft, and NC State will be awaiting word on four drafted recruits, including Holly Springs pitcher/first baseman Carlos Rodon.

The Milwaukee Brewers took the lefthanded Rodon in the 16th round, but the consensus is that he is more in line with a third- to fifth-round talent. He certainly played like a high-round pick this spring for the Golden Hawks.

On the mound, Rodon went 11-0 with a 1.40 ERA and 135 strikeouts. This was after he went 10-1 with a 0.80 ERA as a junior in 2010. His career record was 23-2. Offensively, he batted .370 as a senior with three home runs and 25 RBIs. With Rodon leading the way, Holly Springs went 27-2 and won the 2011 North Carolina 4-A state championship.

After a season like that, it’s no surprise that the postseason awards came flowing Rodon’s way. He was an easy pick for all-state for the second year in a row, and was named the Tri-Nine Conference player of the year, likewise for the second year running.

Later in the summer, Baseball America named him a third-team high school All-American, and in early August the North Carolina High School Athletic Association named him the 2011 North Carolina High School Player of the Year to put the finishing touches on a storybook senior year.

“I’ve had a lot of honors come my way this year, including North Carolina Player of the Year, and I’m truly flattered by all of them,” Rodon said. “There are so many great players in this state. To be chosen player of the year is really an incredible honor.”

Before all those honors sink in, however, Rodon has a decision to make. Again, pro teams have until midnight Monday night to sign players drafted in June or lose their signing rights. For Rodon, who signed a national letter-of-intent with NC State last November, that means he either signs with the Brewers by Monday night or comes to college and plays for the Wolfpack the next three years.

If Rodon opts to play collegiately, there is little question in head coach Elliott Avent’s mind that the young lefthander would make a big and immediate impact on the Wolfpack. Two-way players who can contribute both ways as freshmen are a rare commodity. The fact that Rodon grew up in NC State’s back yard is an added bonus.

More important to Avent, however, is the fact that Rodon is the type of person who should fit seamlessly into the NC State locker room right away.

“Carlos Rodon is obviously a great player and a great talent, but beyond that he’s a great young man and a great teammate,” Avent said. “We’re very hopeful that he’ll choose to join our program because we know that he’ll be a great representative of NC State baseball. He’s exactly the kind of young man we want in our program.”

Holly Springs head coach Rod Whitesell knows Rodon well. For selfish reasons he’d like to see Rodon play collegiately, just because Whitesell would be able to watch his best player for another three years. Whitesell said that if he opts to go to NC State, Rodon’s transition to college baseball should be an easy one because of his combination of talent and competitiveness.

“He throws real free and easy, and the ball just explodes out of his hand,” Whitesell said. “The ball gets on hitters really fast. Combine that talent with the fact that he’s a great kid and a great competitor and you’ve got a special player. He loves to be on the mound in big situations. He never wants to come out of a game. He wants to be out there. He competes every pitch, every inning, and he just loves to win. He’s a great kid and he works so hard. He really loves the game of baseball.”

In the end, Rodon is most likely in a no-lose situation. He’s said that he won’t sign a professional contract unless the money is right. If he decides instead to play collegiately, he has a chance to further develop his talents in one of the best conferences in college baseball while getting three years of an invaluable college education under his belt.

“It’s a really a hard decision,” Rodon said. “In a way, I don’t feel like I can make a wrong choice, but that just makes it harder. I would love to be part of the Wolfpack. Coach Avent, coach Holliday, coach Hart and coach Ward are all great coaches and I really get along with all the players I’ve met on the team. I’d love to be a part of that. At the same time, I have to wait and see exactly what my options will be before I make a decision. If everything works out right, I’ll be a part of the Wolfpack.”

We’ll find out Monday. It will be a big day for Rodon, and hopefiully an equally big day for Wolfpack baseball.

[jjfanec]

IF we get both Rodon and McFarland I love our draft this year. After what I read right away I thought both were longshots but I like what I am reading. Money talks and hopefully we offer enough to get them into the fold.

[CheezWizHed]

Sounds like McFarland is just waiting for the Brewers to knock his socks off and if not, on to Rice.

 

Anyone hear any news about Andrew Cain or Mallex Smith?

[And That]

Mallex Smith has passed over Florida State to commit to Santa Fe JC in Gainsville. This means that he'll be eligible to be drafted next year if he doesn't sign with the Brewers. I'd actually take this as a good sign for the Brewers, and I read that someone thought he was "dead set" on going pro.

 

Cain has been absent from the baseball circuit this summer. Don't know what's going on with him. He should have been a relatively easy sign.

[battlekow]

Duarte with a McFarland update: "Chris McFarland, a SS from Lufkin, is not expected to sign with #Brewers and instead will attend #Rice"

[battlekow]

Deadline looming for pro signings

by Chuck Carree/Wilmington Star News

Andrew Cain believes the Milwaukee Brewers may make a last-ditch effort to sign him before the Monday midnight deadline.

When I spoke to him Sunday, he had just returned recently from a family vacation in Florida. My gut feeling is he will return for his senior year and he told me he is comfortable doing so.

After all, he thinks the Seahawks have a chance to have a solid club and I do too.

When I asked him what was going in with his negotiations with the Brewers, he replied he wish he knew.

“I don’t know if I will hear from them and they’ll make an offer,” he said. “I feel like a depends on a lot of their guys signing before me.”

Then he told me he thought the Brewers would make an offer within 24 hours.

The team’s top [two] picks are unsigned and if it is clear they won’t sign, then he thinks that means more bonus money for 12th round picks such as him.

So I did a little research and Milwaukee’s third-round pick signed for $340,000. The team’s first position player, outfielder Nick Ramirez, a fifth-round selection, signed for $500,000, well above the estimated slotting of $154,000

In other words, slotting for the round often is meaningless.

“I am satisfied with whatever happens,” Cain said. “Professional baseball is a great opportunity and that is what I told them the last time we talked, but I am excited about our team here at UNCW and what we can do.”

He explained how he is excited to face both the USA and Canadian Junior National teams in games in September during fall practice..

“It will be a great opportunity to match up with some of the top high school players in two countries and some potential first-round picks,” he said. “It will be nice to play somebody else besides ourselves. It will be fun.

[And That]

So I did a little research and Milwaukee’s third-round pick signed for $340,000. The team’s first position player, outfielder Nick Ramirez, a fifth-round selection, signed for $500,000, well above the estimated slotting of $154,000

Ramirez signed for $213,300, which was recommended slot value.

 

Michael Reed, the fifth round pick and second position player taken, signed for $500K. Slot there was $154,800. Reed is a much better prospect than Cain, or Ramirez.

[battlekow]

Duarte again: "I've been told that Lufkin SS Chris McFarland, an 18th-round pick by #Brewers, is not done deal to come to #Rice. He's waiting for offer on Monday"

 

Gee thanks, Joseph.

[jmeks23]

Obviously Rodon is a long shot because he's good and he knows he's good. But from everything I've seen about McFarland he can be had. The difficult part is that Rice is a really big time baseball school, but the Brewers are in desperate need of good prospects. This is the year they should sign them up.

[ramssuperbowl99]

Kendall Rogers is reporting we got McFarland for $315k and a scholarship package. Great pickup, and now we can go and try and get Rodon!

[battlekow]

Rogers: "It also looks like, FOR NOW, that #Brewers 16th-round pick Carlos Rodon, will be going to college. Could still change." Rivals NC State writer Ryan Tice confirms]confirms[/url].

247Sports Florida State writer Corey Dowlar: "#FSU Baseball. Catcher signee Mario Amaral has confirmed he will be at Florida State in the fall, says no to MLB."

[battlekow]

Rodon will not sign with Brewers

J. Mike Blake/News Observer

The North Carolina high school baseball player of the year will be matriculating to N.C. State after all. Carlos Rodon, a lefthanded pitcher who led Holly Springs to the state 4-A championship this season, will not sign with the Milwaukee Brewers, according to his mother Julie Rodon.

Carlos was drafted by the Brewers in the 16th round (491st overall) of the Major League Baseball Draft in June.

"He told us Saturday that he did not even want to pursue anything else (but college). He was done," Julie Rodon said. "He waited a long time and then he just decided that school was the better route, so that's what he decided on."

By not signing with Milwaukee, Carlos Rodon will play the next three seasons at N.C. State. Rodon committed to play for the Wolfpack as a rising junior and signed his letter-of-intent last fall.

Julie Rodon said that the Brewers did come close signing Carlos, but that Carlos has already moved into his apartment and is ready to begin school at NCSU.

"He was honored that he was selected in the draft," Julie said, "but orientation started today and school starts on Wednesday. He can't sit around too much longer."

Originally, Rodon was projected by most outlets as being a top-five-round selection, but fell hundreds of picks later was what baseball pundits call "signability." The Rodons stated that it would take an amount closer to what is offered supplemental round draft picks (i.e. $750,000 signing bonuses) to steer Carlos away from his college plans.

On draft day, the Brewers actually called Rodon in the fourth round to ask if he would sign for around $250,000.

Rodon struck out 135 batters in his senior season, the most in the Triangle, and posted a 1.40 ERA. Over his past three seasons, he went 23-2 as a starter. During a complete-game two-hit shutout in the first game of the 4-A championship series, his fastball was clocked at 93 mph in the first inning and only trailed off to 90 mph by the seventh.

[narwhalattack]

At least the Brewers signed McFarland

[battlekow]

http://www.thewizofodds.com/.a/6a00e553e551d188340133f58557fc970b-250wi

 

 

Dowlar: "So, um, looks like #FSU isn't totally out of the woods with catcher Mario Amaral just yet. Some last minute efforts by the Brewers now."

[SoCalBrewfan]

Hm, maybe Rodon's money just became available? Sorry to lose out on Rodon, but it sounds like he felt a bit stiffed on draft day so I'm not surprised. Wonder what the final offer was...

[brewmann04]

well hopefully his 3 years at NC st will be good for him.

[battlekow]

12th-rounder Andrew Cain does not sign.

[ramssuperbowl99]

Update on Mallex Smith, Mario Amarel?

[battlekow]

Amaral did not sign.

[mrpackersfan1]

Will McFarland debut this year?

[jjgott]

Will McFarland debut this year?

I think he said something on Twitter about getting ready for the Fall Instructional league.

[Herm]

What might have been.... from Baseball America chat-

 

Henry (Raleigh, NC): Carlos Rodon is having an outstanding freshman year thus far. Even though it is 2 years away, is he in the discussion for 1st overall pick in 2014?

Jim Callis: It's very early, but that's fair. He's as good as any college player for the 2014 draft. North Carolina State has a strong freshman class and will be tough to handle over the next couple of years.